Small, handheld computing devices have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years. The devices are known by different names, such as palmtops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants, personal organizers, H/PCs, or the like. These devices, hereinafter “small computer devices,” provide much of the same functionality as their larger counterparts. In particular, the small computer devices provide users the ability to perform word processing, task management, spreadsheet processing, address book functions and Internet browsing, as well as many other functions.
Typically, the small computer devices have limited battery lives and therefore power conservation is an important design consideration. Therefore, most small computer devices incorporate an automatic shutoff/sleep module that automatically places the device in a power-saving sleep mode after a predetermined time of inactivity, i.e., the lack of user input. Although the device is in sleep mode, low-level computing functions may occur, such as the operations of an internal clock and/or an internal calendar type application which function to provide user notifications of scheduled events. When such a reminder is presented to the user, the device turns on or “wakes up” and displays a message. If no user input occurs, the device returns to sleep mode after a predetermined time interval.
Since these devices are highly portable, the devices tend to be placed or carried in brief cases, tote bags or other crowded environments such that the probability of inadvertently pressing an input element is relatively high. Unfortunately, these inadvertent presses may pose significant problems for users of the small devices, e.g., problems relating to power consumption, connection fees for the Internet, etc. As an example, if a device is automatically turned on, e.g., when a reminder-type notification occurs, while the device is in a tote bag, inadvertent presses may cause the device to remain on, i.e., the device is not allowed to automatically shutoff after the predetermined timeout period. Consequently, if the device cannot shut off, power is consumed unnecessarily.
Other devices, such as cellular phones, have a button lock feature which allows the user to lock the input elements. The cellular phones are placed in a locked mode by manually entering a combination of button presses. Once locked, the device ignores further input signals, except for input signals for unlocking the cellular phone. The button lock feature is only used when the device is on, however, and the user must manually place the device in locked mode by activating the method that locks the user input elements. The added responsibility of having the user manually placing the device in a locked mode increases the probability that the device will not be in locked mode when needed.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.